


I know you, I saw you once upon a dream.

by you_are_lovely



Category: Twenty One Pilots
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-21
Updated: 2017-07-23
Packaged: 2018-12-05 04:49:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,062
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11570661
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/you_are_lovely/pseuds/you_are_lovely
Summary: Josh has had an imaginary friend for as long as he can remember, but what if that friend were real?





	1. Chapter 1

Going through high school Josh had never really been a popular kid or a loser kid. He didn’t sit at the front of the bus or at the back, he was a middle of the bus kind of kid. Polite, mild mannered and as kind as he could be to everyone he was an average kid out the outside. At school he had a good group of friends that he hung around with but his best friend was absolutely anything but middle of the road.

Tyler was creative. Tyler was sporty. Tyler could sing and play instruments. Tyler told the best jokes. Tyler was handsome. Tyler was imaginary.

Josh had first seen Tyler when he had started kindergarden. Standing at the edge of the sandbox feeling apprehensive about joining the kids already in the sand he had stood on the edge and out of nowhere, a small skinny boy with big eyes, dark brown hair and crooked teeth walked on up to him and introduced himself. Josh had spent that entire day playing space explorers with him, chasing each other around the playground. When it came time to go home he had asked his Mom is Tyler could come along too and while she had looked confused when he introduced them she had agreed and they went home and had chicken sticks with ranch sauce which was Josh’s favourite and Tyler’s too.

People always had lots of questions about Tyler that Josh never understood. Jordan asked what he looked like, his Dad asked where he was from, his Mom asked how many eyes he had and Josh would always tell them the answers but would wonder why they couldn’t ask Tyler himself. It soon became clear that Josh was the only person who could see Tyler and as no one else had a problem with this, Josh didn’t see it as a problem either. If anything it meant that their friendship was even more special as they were only for each other. Josh would watch Tyler shooting hoops in his neighbours backyard while he was working on his homework and then they would go into the forest to explore before dinner.

As he got older he noticed that his parents started to be less happy about Tyler being around all the time. Where they once had set a place for him at the dinner table they now said he had to go home. At school his friends laughed at the mention of his name and teased him for still having an ‘imaginary friend’ but to Josh there was no doubt that Tyler was absolutely real. How could he imagine someone so perfect and different from himself? Tyler had a smile that lit up the room and told him what to say when he was feeling shy in order to get out of an awkward situation. Tyler was the best basketball player in the world and had helped Josh on his jump shot. Sure, Josh was still just okay at basketball but that’s better than he ever would have been without Tyler. Jordan was the only one who believed him that he genuinely saw Tyler but that made little difference to his parents who were starting to worry about their son.

High school was a giant step that Josh was dreading as he knew there would be so many new people and he wasn’t sure how well he was going to do. His school made them wear a uniform and Josh sat there trying to do up his tie a few dozen times before Tyler appeared, rolling his eyes and standing in front of him.   
“What do you want huh? Half windsor? Full windsor? Bow tie?” he asked, his dark brown eyes dancing with amusement as he draped the tie around Josh’s neck.

Josh rolled his eyes but he couldn’t help but smile. “Like you know any of that stuff.”

“I do! I am a tie tying extraordinaire…” Tyler’s hands slid over the material and with just a flurry of his hands Josh’s tie was tied neatly. Tyler reached for his blazer and he slid his fingers down over the lapels so he looked neat and presentable. “Have a good day Jish.”

“How do you know how to do that? Why don’t I know?” Josh asked with a soft laugh, eyeing himself in the mirror and smiling as he watched Tyler flop down on his bed and pick up one of his comic books.

“I dunno but today is a big day right? You need to tell me all about it when you get home.”

Josh turned quickly and frowned. “What do you mean? You’ll be there?”

Tyler looked up from over the top of the comic book and he shook his head. “Jordan will be there and - I think maybe you shouldn’t tell people about me anymore. They’re starting to get concerned.”

“But I want you to come with me?”

“I’ll be here when you get home but you need to go to school and make new friends.”   
“But-”

“Josh! The bus is outside!” His Mom shouted from the foot of the stairs. “You still haven’t eaten your eggos…”

Josh gave Tyler a pleading look but seeing that he wasn’t about to change his mind he let it go. Over the last eight years he had learned that once Tyler had decided something that was that and very little would change his mind and Josh would have to fall in line. He didn’t mind so much, Tyler knew what was for the best anyway. Giving him a wave he shuffled down the stairs and got onto the bus, feeling anxious about what was ahead as Jordan chattered away next to him about soccer.

Tyler didn’t keep to his word about not coming to school at all, he would show up when Josh needed him the most giving him a hug or a quick word or telling him a joke to cheer him up. Tyler had been right though, people didn’t react well to being told about him and so Josh kept Tyler to himself. He didn’t concoct some story about Tyler leaving but instead just didn’t mention him at all to anyone. When someone would catch him talking to him he would just lie and say he was talking to himself which they seemed to accept.

It was after a particularly hard day at school that Josh sat down on his bed and vented to Tyler about some guys who were picking on him. Josh watched as Tyler was incensed, pacing around the room and coming up with plans to prank them to get them back. They discussed back and forth what they should do only to be interrupted by his Mom coming into his room.

“Josh… who are you are speaking to?” she asked quietly but the look of fear was clear on her face.

Josh watched as Tyler rolled his eyes and went to sit on the windowsill. “No one. I’m just… thinking out loud.”

Laura hesitated before she came and sat beside her son on his bed. “Josh. Are - are you talking to Tyler?” she asked tentatively.

Josh glanced over to Tyler to check what to say but receiving only a shrug in response he paused before nodding.

Laura’s face crumpled and she bit into her lip. “Is he here right now?”

“He’s sat on the windowsill.” Josh said, always a little exasperated that no one else could see him.

Laura nodded and took his hand in hers, giving it a gentle squeeze. “Is he still shooting hoops?”

“He still plays basketball but he’s started playing the keyboard more lately.” Josh said with a smile, the pride for his friend clear in his voice.

“Do you want to learn the keyboard?” Laura asked, her voice a little tight.   
Josh shook his head. “No? I - I’d like to get a drum set but-”

“I think we need to take you to see someone. To talk about Tyler. I think we need to find out where he has come from and how long he’s going to hang around.”

That conversation took place a few days before Josh first started therapy. The sessions took place once a week on a Thursday afternoon in an office downtown. Josh would take a seat on a bright yellow bean bag and talk about his thoughts, his feelings and eventually Tyler. They talked at length about when Tyler would appear and when he would leave, what he looked like and if he had a family, if he had experiences when he was away from Josh.

Over the course of two years Josh was convinced that Tyler was a figment of his imagination. The therapist couldn’t explain Josh’s knowledge of r&b songs he had never listened to, his ability to quote from books he had never read but she was positive that he was created by Josh’s mind and as soon as Josh started to accept that Tyler might not be real, Tyler stopped appearing. Even when Josh would try and think him into existence there was an empty space where his best friend used to be. Of everything he missed it was Tyler’s infectious laugh that Josh missed the most, wondering why he couldn’t hear it anymore if he had created it with his mind. Despite knowing that he shouldn’t be missing anything he felt like he was mourning the loss of someone, his heart aching at the thought he would never see him again.

It was one year later and Josh was a senior at highschool playing drums for whoever would let him play that night and working at a guitar store. Leaning against the register on a quiet afternoon he was reading the latest issue of AP at the store when Chris came in for his shift.   
“How’s it going?” Chris asked with a smile as he dumped his backpack behind the register.

Josh looked up from the article about Panic at the Disco he was reading and shrugged his shoulders. “Pretty good. It’s so dead today. You shouldn’t have come in.”  
Chris was just putting his lanyard over his head when he paused. “Really? ‘Cause my band is playing a show tonight and if I could get over their early that’d be great.”

“Sure? I’ll cover you,” Josh smiled. “I’m saving for a new kick drum anyway.”  
“You should come anyway. You’ve never seen us play.” Chris pointed out, putting his backpack on his back. “It’s at The Basement.”

“Is there a cover?” Josh asked as he turned the page.

“Uh - I don’t think so, it’s only five bucks if there is.” Chris shrugged, giving him a salute before heading out.

Josh walked over to The Basement alone, figuring he’d meet up with Chris after his set and just intrigued to see this band that he had heard so much about. Going to the bar he glanced at the empty stage as he bought a red bull and took a sip. When the lights went down he leaned back against the bar and watched as the dark figures took to the stage. As the music began and the spotlights settled Josh’s heart went still when he saw Tyler there up on the stage. He pinched himself to check if this was really real and wondered how everyone in front of him could be rocking along to the music that a figment of his imagination was playing. His voice was exactly as he remembered and seeing that smile again his knees felt weak.

The moment that Tyler came off the stage Josh quickly rushed over to him, his eyes wide as he pulled him into a hug. “I’m - I’m so glad you’re back I missed you every day.”

Tyler went stiff in his arms and stepped back quickly, looking him over as if he was deranged. “Uh - thanks? I think? Do I know you?”

Josh blinked in confusion and didn’t know what to say, wondering if Tyler was acting this way because he was angry. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you go away. Please don’t leave ag-”  
“So you two have met?” Chris said with a smile as he wiped a towel over his face and curled his arms around Tyler’s shoulder. “Ty, this is the drummer I was telling you about. Almost as good as me,” he winked.

Tyler laughed but still looked at Josh oddly, wondering what his deal was and what he was talking about. “He seems a little out there,” he said politely.

Josh swallowed thickly, watching them interact and he didn’t know what was going on. His breath felt short and his vision was darkening at the edges as he reached out for Tyler’s hands but before he could connect everything went dizzy and dark as he fainted onto the floor.


	2. Let me inside, no cause for alarm.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Josh wakes up to Tyler taking care of him. They drive home together and realise there's a familiarity there for both of them but for different reasons.

Tyler sat on the arm of a beat up old couch with one of the legs missing fanning a torn up copy of Rock Sound into this stranger’s face, eyeing him over curiously as he did so. Bubblegum pink hair, olive tinted skin and silver hoops in both his nose and lip. Tyler was positive he had never seen this guy before, he definitely would have remembered him if he had. 

“I think we should call an ambulance,” Chris said from where he was perched on a table, his legs dangling off the edge as he tapped away at his cell phone. “He’s been out nearly ten minutes.” 

Tyler shook his head and wrapped another ice cube in some paper towels and carefully dabbed it to his forehead. “An ambulance is like eight hundred bucks. He’s not dying he’s just…” Tyler shrugged his shoulders, having no idea what this guy’s deal was. The whole interaction was weird but there was something about the sincere earnestness of his approach that Tyler couldn’t just shrug him off as a weirdo. “If you wanna get out of here I can stay?” 

Chris looked up from his cell and nodded only to hesitate. “He’s my friend. I should stay.”

Tyler mentally rolled his eyes, knowing Chris was going to leave. “It’s okay. I got it. He’s gonna wake up soon anyway.”

Nodding in agreement he slipped off of the table and picked up his backpack. Walking over to Tyler he gave his shoulder a squeeze. “You da best,” he laughed, giving Josh a concerned look before heading out to go and meet up with a girl. 

Tyler sighed out softly and carefully ran his fingers through the pink curls, pushing them off of his face only to go back to fanning him. Now he was alone he could study him fully, eyeing the band t-shirt, the studded belt that hung loosely around his narrow hips. Tyler’s eyes trailed lazily back up his torso only to be met with the most gorgeous pair of dark brown eyes he had ever seen. 

 

Josh opened his eyes and the first thing he saw was Tyler’s face staring down at him and Josh felt the  
most sincere peace he had felt in a long time just being able to see him again. “Hi…” he croaked out softly, a smile spreading across his face. “You’re-”

“You’re awake!” Tyler smiled, taking the tissues off of his forehead. “You hit the deck like a sack of potatoes man.”

“I - what?” Josh blinked, his eyes adjusting as he took in the rest of the room and he realised he had no idea where he was. “Ty-”

 

“Are you feeling okay? You should have some water or - well I don’t have water but I have this.” Tyler offered his hand and helped pull him up to a sitting position, noticing how confused he looked and he frowned. “Are you okay?”

 

Josh nodded and took a can of red bull when Tyler handed it to him, taking a slow sip. “I’m okay. What happened?”

 

“You came over to me acting like you knew me and then you just passed out. I mean, I kinda felt like The Beatles with a really intense fan so my ego is like woaah right now but - are you okay?” 

Josh listened to him and he managed a small laugh but his mind was whirring doing overtime as he processed the fact that Tyler was back and talking to him and… somehow didn’t know who he was. Swallowing thickly he reached out and touched his bony knee, just trying to tell himself that he was real. It occurred to him that throughout his life he had never actually touched Tyler, or at least definitely couldn’t remember doing so now and feeling flesh and bone beneath his hand was overwhelming. Moving his hand to Tyler’s forearm he laughed quietly to himself, unable to believe this. 

Tyler sat there, genuinely concerned for this guy when he felt his hands on him and he paused. “Uh. So. Hello. Very handsy out of nowhere-”

“- I am just so glad you’re back. You have no idea!” Josh said with an elated smile before pulling him into a bear hug, cuddling him close and breathing him in.

Tyler went stiff again and broke out of the hug, meeting his eyes and shaking his head. “You don’t know me dog - I - are you high?” 

“What? No! I - I do know you.” Josh insisted, his face falling a little as none of this made any sense. 

Tyler shook his head and moved off of the couch to sit in front of him instead, putting just a little distance between them. “I have never met you before. I know you’re Chris’s friend but-” 

Josh was quiet, seeing the same look on Tyler’s face that he had seen on his Mom’s face and he knew it was a look that usually for him meant stop being honest. Folding his hands in his lap he looked down at them and sighed quietly. “I - sorry. No. You’re right.” Tipping his eyes back up to meet 

Tyler’s he let the corners of his lips tug into a smile. “I’m Josh. Sorry. You look like someone I used to know.”

 

“Ah you’ve met many handsome men in your time then,” Tyler joked but he still eyed him curiously as something was off. “Do you want me to take you home?” 

Josh nodded, all of this seeming a bit too much. Pushing himself to stand he felt a little unsteady on his feet but before he could correct himself Tyler was at his side and pressing a hand to the small of his back to keep him balanced. “Thanks, that would be great.” 

Tyler nodded and guided him out of the side door of the tiny dressing room and out into the cool night air. Peeking up at the sky he smiled at all the stars twinkling away only to pause at one particular star that seemed bigger than the others. “Check that out dude,” Tyler nudged him and pointed up to the sky.

Josh looked up and saw the light and he smiled. “Aliens.” 

“Aliens? What?” Tyler laughed as he took him to his car. He opened the door for Josh and even if it wasn’t really necessary he waited to make sure he got in okay before closing his door and jogging over to his own side. 

“Space ship. Not a star.” Josh said matter of factly, his face completely straight. 

Tyler stared at him only to burst out laughing. “You - are you being real right now? You think it’s a spaceship?”

 

Josh felt his heart ache when he heard that laugh that he had missed so much and he wished he could record it to know that he’d have it forever. All he wanted to do was keep him laughing as the absence of that sound over the last year had made his world seem so bleak. “Yeah. I mean. They just disguise themselves like that so people think they’re stars so they can observe without being seen. They’re very clever.” 

Tyler nodded along but it was clear he wasn’t buying it all. This guy was weird as frick but he kinda loved it. “So why are they watching us?” 

“Lots of reasons but mostly they’re just curious.” Josh nodded and turned in his seat so he was facing Tyler sideways on. “They want to be friends but they’re shy. Working up the courage to say hello.”

Tyler was quiet and thought on that for a moment before he chuckled to himself and opened the door to his car once more. “Helllooooo! Come and say hi!! Helllo!” he shouted up to the sky as he climbed out and waved into the darkness. 

Josh burst out laughing and nodded. “They’re still shy! You’re just one guy. There are billions of us.” 

“I’m not just one guy, I’m the guy.” Tyler corrected, giving one last wave up to the sky before he sank back into the driver’s seat and turned on the engine. 

Josh nodded in agreement with him, a little smile playing at his lips. “Yeah, I can believe that. So.  
Honestly? That’s Venus. My Mom told me - it was in the paper this morning. We can see Venus from here just for tonight. But it totally could have been aliens.” 

“So I was just waving and saying hello to a planet?” Tyler asked as he pulled out of the parking lot, laughing quietly. “Hey Miss Venus. Don’t be shy,” Tyler laughed and rolled his eyes to himself. 

 

“She’s Miss Venus?” Josh asked curiously, unable to keep the smile off of his face as everything Tyler said just tickled him the way it always had.

“She don’t need no man. She’s the - that’s the love planet right? She’s an independent woman who is just worshipped and adored. She’s the Beyonce of planets.” Tyler stated matter of factly. 

Josh nodded in agreement, it all seeming to add up no matter how ridiculous it sounded. Biting into his lip ring he glanced over at Tyler, wondering if this guy just looked like his Tyler but actually was a whole other person. “Your show was great… have you been playing music long?”

“Beyonce would be to Saturn… if you like it you shoulda put a ring on it and then that’s how Saturn got its rings not realising that it was meant to be a ring around Venus!” Tyler laughed. When Josh spoke he shook his head. “Not for too long. Only the last year or so?”

Josh laughed at his joke but wanted to press further, needing to know if he was actually losing his mind at this point. He thought of Fight Club and wondered if this was the beginning of a genuine mental illness or a brain tumour. “So what were you into before?”

“I mean I always loved music? But I used to play basketball like all the time so I didn’t have time for anything else really.” Tyler said with a shrug. “What about you?”

Josh’s expression was calm but his heart raced, swallowing thickly. “Me? Oh. Always music. I play  
sports at school but not really on the teams…”

“The teams?!” Tyler laughed. “So you do gym class.” 

“Well. Yeah.” Josh laughed and felt his cheeks flush at that. “But I’m never picked last!” 

“I don’t doubt that,” Tyler murmured and glanced over at him, shaking his head. “I am driving towards my house on autopilot. Where do you live?” he asked with a fond smile, never having gotten along with someone so quickly before and it felt good to just hang out with someone and be a dork.

Josh didn’t want to go home as he knew that would mean saying goodbye to Tyler but he also knew that from Tyler’s perspective he had been strange all night so he had to be a little normal for a while. 

Giving him his address he watched Tyler make a u-turn and was disappointed to realise they lived on different sides of town. “So do you still play?”

“Yeah I still play,” Tyler nodded. “I’ve got a scholarship so I have to play out the season for this year and I’ll have to play at college too.” 

“So you must really love it then?” Josh asked curiously, his Tyler always having preferred music more.

“Yeah!” Tyler said right away but he paused. “I mean. Kinda? It’s… I love playing with my family and I really like my teammates but actually I feel kinda over it now. If I could choose I probably wouldn’t play at school anymore and not at college either.” Tyler realised no one had actually asked him before if he liked playing basketball. He had done it for so long now that everyone probably just assumed and honestly he had too. It was only when someone actually asked that he realised that he didn’t like it anymore. 

“You can choose though right? Just stop playing?” Josh suggested.

“I would lose my scholarship. It’s… being a basketball player is kind of who I am at school. The Josephs all play basketball. Even my sister. She’s got a sweet jump shot.” 

Josh nodded, seeing a look of sadness on his face and despite his better judgement he reached over and gave his arm a squeeze. “You - you might be a Joseph but you’re Tyler Joseph. You don’t have to be what your family is… or do what you’ve always done ‘cause you’ve always done it? If you love music you should pursue it. You were incredible tonight. I mean - I fainted I was so impressed.” 

Tyler laughed at that, glancing over at him and smiling. “I do feel like The Beatles now. I’m just waiting to sell out arenas.” 

“And you will if you want to.” Josh said honestly. “You’re incredible. There’s nothing you can’t do. 

You’ve always been amazing at everything.” Josh said without thinking. 

Tyler assumed that was a slip of the tongue and didn’t question it, knowing that on some level Josh was right about basketball. “It just takes up so much time you know? It’s not just the games it’s the practise and the training. So much of my life is eaten up so I can just be better at this thing so that I can go to college and I don’t want to go to college anymore. I want to play music and be in a band and my friends? Like, friends I’ve had for years? They keep calling me Pete Wentz…” 

“Pete Wentz?” Josh said with a laugh, tilting his head to the side curiously. 

“I don’t know why. Maybe it’s like the only famous rock guy they know? They’re supportive but they don’t get it at all and I meet guys from other bands and I don’t have that… music is my life and has always been my life thing because I was so busy playing basketball. I loved music just… differently.”  
Josh could feel the struggle he was feeling and gave his arm a gentle reassuring squeeze. “I’m glad you said that. I thought it was because you had dick pics on the internet.” 

Tyler cracked up laughing and shook his head as they pulled up in front of Josh’s house. Killing the engine he turned to look at Josh, surprised by how much he was opening up to this stranger. “No. Never. Nobody wants to see that,” Tyler laughed and sighed out softly. “Sorry. I’m just thinking out loud right now.”

 

“It’s okay… I’m happy to listen,” Josh murmured, knowing he had done so much ranting to Tyler in the past that he was more than owed this time. 

“I just feel kinda stuck in limbo between being the basketball guy that everyone knows me as and honestly? That’s a world I’m comfortable in. And being the music guy that I feel in my soul I am but when I meet all the other guys I just feel really out of place.” 

Josh nodded in understanding, having been able to spot what must have been Tyler’s friends a mile off at the show as they were the only dudebros there in a sea of emo and rock kids. “It’s… none of the best musicians fit in. They stood out. They were different. In a world of Pete Wentz’s you need to be a Tyler Joseph. Pete is great and stuff I’m sure but he’s already him and has a hundred people trying to be him. You need to be you.” 

Tyler smiled at that, it making sense to him and actually made him feel a little better. Biting into his lip he met Josh’s eyes in the darkness of his car and felt other words at his lips, wanting to explain the other reason that he felt so other to his friends but he held secret close to his chest. “I will be me!”  
Josh nodded, seeing that all the lights were out in his house and knowing he had already missed his curfew. “I should head inside,” he murmured but made no moves to get out of the car. 

“Yeah. It’s late,” Tyler sighed out softly, surprised by how much he didn’t want Josh to go inside.  
Josh nodded and still just sat there, his hand still on Tyler’s arm and he gave it a gentle squeeze. 

“Could I get your number? I’d really like to see you again.” 

Tyler blinked, a small smile curling at his lips as he wondered if Josh had the same secret, if this was why they both felt like they were recognising each other, sensing a familiarity there. He would have never have been so brazen as to ask but he was so grateful that Josh was. “Yeah sure. When - are you free tomorrow?” he said and offered his cell phone to Josh to type his number. Watching Josh take it, his face illuminated by the glow of the screen he allowed himself to admire him in the way he wanted to.

Josh called his cell once to get Tyler’s number and looked up at him with a smile. “I’m free tomorrow,” he murmured, eager to see him again. Now that Tyler was back he wasn’t going to let him go again no matter what his therapist said. 

“Great. It’s a date.” Tyler said casually, giving himself plenty of room to laugh it off and correct it if he had misread the signals. 

Josh just beamed, completely missing the key word there and nodded. “See you tomorrow. I’ll text you times and stuff. Sweet dreams!” he called before he climbed out of the car and headed inside.

Tyler watched him disappear into the dark house and just sank back against his chair with a laugh, feeling excited and nervous in equal measures. He’d asked his first guy on a date - this was huge! 

Sure he had started off a little strange but Josh was handsome and funny and sweet and that’s what  
really mattered. Giving himself a little fist pump he started the drive home, changing the CD’s over in his car and singing along passionately to ‘I’ll make love to you’ by Boyz II Men on the way home.


	3. The Wonder of You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After seeing Tyler in real life Josh goes back to his therapist to discuss this new development.

Josh sat in the waiting room of his therapist’s office tapping his hands idly on his thighs as he waited to be invited in to see his therapist. By now he knew every inch of this waiting room, having spent enough time staring off into the faded prints of calming vistas on the wall and leafing through dated women’s magazines that it was oddly comforting. Every now and then the receptionist would add a new plant to replace the one that had been dying the last time he had visited but apart from that it was always the same. When he had first started therapy he had to visit every week for an hour at a time but once Tyler disappeared their sessions became bi-weekly, then monthly, then quarterly and now they just had two sessions booked in a year as a ‘hand off’ session. it seemed almost too perfect that the night after meeting Tyler in a club that he would have his next session with his therapist. Josh smiled at the receptionist as she passed only to stand when he saw Miss Tomson walking out of her office. 

“Josh… pink! Your hair is pink,” she said with a smile, blinking in surprise at the sight of him as she took in the piercings and general haphazard look that was such a contrast to the school uniform he had always arrived in when they used to have regular appointments.

Josh smiled shyly and nodded, self consciously touching his hair. He had done it one night on a whim but had liked it so much that he kept it topped up but always seemed to forget how strange other people seemed to find it. Eyeing Miss Tomson over he smiled, liking that she always seemed to wear black skinny jeans and a stripy top, her long red hair hanging in waves down the middle of her back. She was young, probably only ten years older than him and that had always made him feel more at ease with her and able to open up. She asked him to call her Stephanie and he did to her face but in his mind it was always Miss Tomson. “I like your t-shirt…” he murmured, nodding to the white t-shirt with a little heart patch with eyes on it. 

“Oh this? Thanks!” Stephanie smiled and waved him in, heading into her office and sinking down into one of the giant bean bags away from her desk. 

Josh walked in and collapsed into his grey bean bag, always sitting in the same spot as it made him feel like he was on a cloud. “How are you?”

Stephanie smiled and nodded as she took out her notepad. “I’m good. How are you doing?” 

“I’m good,” Josh nodded and worked his lip ring between his teeth, debating whether he should mention Tyler as he was sure she would be disappointed that he was seeing him again. 

“This is going to be a very short session then…” Stephanie teased and crossed one leg over the other. “Is there anything you’d like to talk about?” 

Josh weighed that up and he eventually started to nod. “I think I’m going to disappoint everyone.” 

Stephanie nodded slowly to show that she was listening but when he didn’t elaborate she tilted her head to the side. “Everyone being… your parents? Your friends?”  
Josh nodded and he bit into the corner of his lip as he tapped his hands idly on his thighs once more, letting out a quiet sigh as he felt on the fence about Tyler and so he went with something else that had been on his mind. “My family are concerned that I don’t have a girlfriend and that I don’t want to go to college and that my faith isn’t… the same as theirs.” 

“That sounds like a lot of stuff on your mind,” Stephanie murmured. “Are you concerned about those things?” 

Josh shrugged his shoulders and turned his eyes to his lap rather than her enquisitive eyes. “I don’t really care about the girlfriend thing.” 

“You don’t want a girlfriend?” 

“I like girls. They’re nice and stuff but… I think I might be broken in that way. My brother talks to me about his girlfriend and girls and - I see girls. I think they’re beautiful but I - that’s as far as it goes. It’s like art. I like art but I don’t wanna fuck it.” 

Stephanie laughed softly at that, surprised to hear a curse word out of the mouth of this shy boy but she forced her smile away. “The Louvre will be very relieved to hear that…” 

Josh gave her a look at that and rolled his eyes as he pushed his fingers into his hair and tilted his head back. “It’s hard. Everyone just graduates and goes to college and then gets married and has a kid and that just doesn’t feel like my path.” 

“So who do you want to - have relations with? Is there anyone?” Stephanie asked quietly. “Anything you say hear is confidential Josh. Your parents wont know.” 

“No one.” Josh said quietly. “I’m not gay if that’s what you’re hinting at. I’d be okay if I was gay I mean… I know my family wouldn’t be psyched but I wouldn’t care if that’s… what I was.” 

“Do you masturbate Josh?” Stephanie asked quietly, her tone gentle but even still she watched his face flush, his dark brown eyes diverting from hers quickly. “You don’t have to answer if you don’t want to.” 

“I do.” Josh said quietly, swallowing down the lump in his throat. While he didn’t lust after Miss Tomson he knew that his brother did after meeting her once. She was a beautiful woman with perfect pale skin and the most striking jade eyes he had ever seen but as he had said, he liked to admire her but didn’t want anything more. 

“And when you do that… what do you think of? Do you watch anything or-” she trailed off, wanting to leave him space to finish the thought himself. 

Josh was quiet for a moment because in his brain all he could think of was Tyler from the night before, his laugh, his smile and he didn’t know how these things were connected but in that moment Tyler took up every inch of his mind. “I saw Tyler last night,” he blurted out, clenching his eyes shut. “He’s real. He is real. I saw him. Other people saw him.”

Stephanie blinked at the mention of Tyler, having thought they had left his imaginary friend in the past and for him to come up during this conversation gave her fresh concerns. “You saw him? Where was he?” 

“He was on stage. He plays in a band with Chris from the music store,” Josh said quickly. “Chris saw him. Everyone saw him. They watched him play and he drove me home. He gave me his number.” 

Stephanie nodded slowly, watching how tense he had become at the mention of Tyler and she couldn’t put her finger on whether it was animation from excitement or tension from shame. The light that appeared in his eyes at the very mention of Tyler could not be denied however. “How old is Tyler now?” 

“He’s - he’s still my age. Well, six months younger.” Josh said and he couldn’t help the smile that was on his face. “He’s taller than me now though.” 

Stephanie nodded and made note of these details, her concern growing deeper as she saw just how invested he was in this fabrication. “Does he still play basketball? Where has he been?” 

Josh faltered at that and met her eyes. “He - he didn’t recognise me. That’s - that’s what I don’t get. That’s what’s freaking me out because how can he not recognise me? You always say he’s not real but he is and he’s… he’s the most wonderful thing…” he murmured and bit into his lip, shaking his head. “So talented.” 

“He didn’t recognise you?” Stephanie said with an arched eyebrow. 

“I ran over to him when I saw him and he looked at me like a stranger and then I passed out-”

“- did you hit your head?”

“I - maybe? I don’t know. I woke up and he was fanning me.” Josh said with a fond smile. “And then he drove me home.” 

“Are you sure you didn’t hit your head and then see him?” Stephanie questioned, half hoping this was just a vision based on a concussion. 

Josh frowned at her and he pressed his hands to his temples. “I’m not crazy! I’m not! I’ve never been crazy he’s real! He’s-” he paused when he found his tone getting tense, his voice raised. He wasn’t the kind of guy to shout at a lady no matter how frustrated he was and more than anything it was upsetting to think that there was a slight chance he was insane or sick. “I - “ he went to speak only to pause and pull out his cell phone. “I have his number.”  
“Then let’s call him.” Stephanie said with a small smile. “I’ve heard so much about him… it’d be good to finally talk to him.” 

Josh hesitated for a moment but he realised this would be what would finally prove to her that he was real and then maybe she could help him work out why Tyler didn’t recognise him. Tapping on Tyler’s name he felt his heart starting to race as the sound of the ring tone filled the quiet office. 

“Hi.” Tyler’s voice clear as day answered just a few moments later. “Who is this?” 

Josh’s eyes widened and he pointed at the cell phone to Stephanie. “Hi. Hey! Hello. This is - this is Josh…” 

“Josh! How’s it going man? It’s - it’s good to hear from you. How’s it going? Are we still meeting tonight?”

Josh smiled and nodded. “Yeah. Definitely. Where do you want to meet?”

“I can pick you up if you want? We could get some pizza? I know a great place I want to show you,” Tyler said with a smile. 

Stephanie listened and saw how Josh beamed just hearing his voice but this didn’t prove anything. Writing on her notepad she tapped her pen against it to get Josh’s attention. 

Josh looked up from the cell, unable to keep the smile off of his face when he was talking to Tyler. “That sounds great… hey uh -” he paused as he squinted to read what she had written on the notepad. “I know this is weird but - could you tell me your full name?” 

There was a pause and then a soft laugh. “Are you looking me up on myspace or something dude?” 

“No. I mean why would I need to right? I already know you,” Josh laughed quietly. 

“Tyler Robert Joseph.” Tyler said with a quiet laugh. “...and you are…?” 

Josh frowned when he was asked the same question as he had already known the answer Tyler was going to give him but Tyler didn’t seem to have the same information. “Joshua William Dun.” 

“Well, Joshua William Dun… I have to go help my Mom with the groceries but I’ll pick you up at seven. It’s a date! Bye Dude!” 

“Bye…” Josh said quietly and hung up, worrying his lip ring between his teeth as he looked down at his lap. 

Stephanie couldn’t deny this boy had the same name as Josh’s imaginary friend but there was no way on Earth this could be real. Imaginary friends were just that and they didn’t just bring themselves into creation. Seeing Josh’s face she sighed out quietly. “What’s on your mind?”

Josh shook his head and pressed his elbows into his thighs so he could rest his hand in his hands, pressing his fingertips over his eyes and dragging them to his temples, his eyes scrunched tightly closed. “I don’t wanna talk to you.” 

“What? Why?” Stephanie asked softly. “Josh… this is a safe space.” 

“It’s not when you think I’m crazy!” Josh said with a groan, his voice a little choked up. “I just - I’m not. He’s real. He’s real he just - why doesn’t he know who I am?” 

Stephanie scooted out of her bean bag and knelt on the floor beside him, giving his shoulder a gentle squeeze. “I have never once thought you were crazy Joshua. I mean that honestly. You are a very sweet, smart, sensitive young man Josh.”

“Now I know you’re lying. I’m not smart.” Josh said with a soft sigh and rubbed at his eyes again as he felt everything becoming a little overwhelming for him. “How can he not know who I am?”

“Josh… it might just be a coincidence. A guy with the same name and you’re projecting your friend onto him.” Stephanie pointed out with a soft sigh. “You have to accept that this young man isn’t the same person. It’s not possible.” 

“But he’s - I know everything about him.” Josh pointed out, finally opening his eyes and he could feel how full they were but he fought to keep any tears from spilling over. “How can I know-”

Stephanie held his eyes and gave his shoulder a gentle squeeze again. “We’re in Ohio. If he doesn’t play football he’ll play basketball… it’s the state sport. I’m sure if you dug down deeper? Things that couldn’t be most people? You’d find he’s very different. A person contains multitudes Josh.”

Josh nodded slowly and bit into his lip, wondering if the fact he looked exactly how Tyler always had would mean anything to her or if his brain was generalising on that as well. A young guy with brown hair and brown eyes, pretty generic right? Even as he thought to himself he thought about the way he knew Tyler’s eyes would scrunch up when he laughed and smiled, that jagged row of crooked lower teeth. How could that be generic? “Yeah you’re right. I should cancel seeing him. This can’t be good right?” 

Shrugging her shoulders Stephanie offered him a kind smile. “Going out one time can’t hurt right? You might even have fun. Get you out of your room and doing something other than playing drums.” 

“What’s wrong with the drums?” Josh protested with a weak laugh. “You’re always coming for the things I love. What’s your deal?” he joked as he wiped his eyes, feeling his cheeks flush with embarrassment at the whole situation. 

“I want to help you see that you’re not a disappointment. You’re not broken. You’re the best Joshua William Dun anyone could ever be. I just want to help you explore who that person is - within reality - to its fullest potential. I can see you’re destined to be a pretty amazing human.” 

\---------------------------------------------- 

“It’s a date?” Maddie asked with wide eyes as she came in through the back door, heading straight for the fridge to grab a bottle of Gatorade, her face bright red from a game of one on one with Jay. 

Tyler scowled at her playfully and shook his head. “You got ears like Dumbo with how much you overhear…” he mumbled and walked over, tugging on her earlobes gently.

Maddie nudged him away with her elbow and made a face. “Quit it. Fess up. Who was that on the phone?” 

“No one you know,” Tyler said and took the gatorade from her and took a sip. 

“I’d like to know. Who was it?” she asked and took the bottle back. 

“I’m gonna say a name and you’re not gonna know so-” Tyler paused to grab the back door for his Mom as she walked in with the first of the groceries and he quickly jogged out to get the rest from the car, stumbling around as he was committed to only doing one trip despite the fact he could now barely see over the top of the brown bags. 

“I don’t care! Tell me.” Maddie said and grabbed two off of him and started to unpack, the three Josephs bending and swerving around each other to put the groceries around in the small kitchen. 

“Josh. Josh Dun.” Tyler eventually said with a huff. “Are you happy no-”

“Josh Dun?” Kelly said and stopped in her spot and smiled big at that. “I have not heard that name in years!” 

Tyler paused and stared at his Mom. “What do you mean?” 

“Josh Dun?” Kelly said with a bright smile. “Oh… Josh was such a cutie.” 

“Mom. What’re you talking about?” Tyler asked, clearly confused as he just stood there holding a packet of paper towels to his chest.

Kelly stared at her son for a moment, his own quizzical expression mimicked on her face. “You really don’t remember? Oh. When you were little… a space ship crashed in our backyard and a little alien came out of it… he had bright pink hair and dark brown eyes that were almost black. You two would do everything together and he was much better behaved than you as a child.” Kelly said and laughed softly, rolling her eyes. “If we wanted you to make your bed or eat your vegetables? You’d only do it if your little alien friend would do it first… his name was Josh Dun.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to those who have commented and left kudos - it definitely motivates me to write the next instalment quickly!
> 
> If anyone has any plot written then please let me know, I'm happy to take requests.
> 
> If anyone rp's as Joshler too then please get in touch as I'm looking for new partners!


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